First and foremost, I would like to establish that every single article I’ve read about college life has not been reflective of my experience. This doesn’t mean these articles are not reflective or not useful to everyone else, but I’ve found that these articles give very broad, irrelevant advice like “be yourself” and “explore your interests” to reach a wider audience. This isn’t bad advice, but it doesn’t adequately prepare anyone for the things that actually matter. I don’t want this article to be formatted like an advice article, however I am offering my experience, which will probably end in me giving some advice.

I am in my first month of college. For nearly half of this time, I have been sick. With what? In college, you’re never quite sure what. It could be mold poisoning, a cold, the flu, bronchitis, malnutrition, the list goes on. Whatever it is, there’s not a lot I can do besides allow the sickness to run its course, take generic brand Dayquil and Nyquil, and drink copious amounts of tea. 

I would like to place emphasis on that last point. When I first got to college, I wasn’t expecting to become such an aggressive tea lover, but then my roommate bought an electric kettle and my mom sent me an unbelievable amount of tea. Since I moved in, I have drank at least two cups of tea per day, but I often drink more. I’m not the only person at my school obsessed with tea either, nearly everyone I’ve met loves tea as well. 

This would be a true college reflection if I didn’t touch on the basic aspects of college life, like my classes, social life, and my roommate. My classes have been interesting so far, even the ones I would typically dislike. I thought I was going to hate my required writing class, but the professor is so passionate it makes the subject interesting. Most of the professors here are passionate about their subjects and have done decades of respected research in their field, which is refreshing. One extra thing: it’s true that skipping one class is a gateway into skipping multiple classes. 

As for my social life, it’s still a work in progress. I’ve never been a social person, but being sick has definitely complicated things. The first week, I never left my dorm room because I was so nervous to meet people. Then, I got sick and I never felt well enough to leave. As I’ve recovered though, I’ve been able to meet people through my roommate, who is easily the most outgoing person I’ve ever met. I’ve also met a few people in my classes, which is helpful because we ask each other questions about the class and read each other’s rough drafts. 

College hasn’t been the smoothest adjustment for me, but I haven’t regretted it at any step. Though I haven’t carved out a routine, I’ve learned to deal with the lack of structure independence has gifted and cursed me with and I’ve been somewhat successful. It’s only been a month though, so what do I know?